When night falls
by Penny Watson Lafayette
Summary: John begins to have terrible nightmares involving Sherlock- and that is what these are. Trigger warnings: Drowning, stabbing, strangling. (Third person, focus on John, post season four).
1. When it began

Cold. The cold was the first thing John Watson noticed. It was overwhelming, overpowering, like nothing he'd ever felt before. Then he became aware of the pitch black sky. After that, it was the strange structure he was held in- a vertical tunnel of red brick. A well. And there were shackles, chains around his ankles. They were twisted, confining, trapping. He was trapped.

A familiar face appeared at the opening of the well. Too familiar, John realised, as Sherlock sported a wicked grin. When the water began to rise around him, John knew it was his friend who put him there.

As the water began to inch towards his face, there were many emotions John could have felt. But there was only one that registered, and it was hurt. Nothing hurts as much as being killed by the one person you would die for.


	2. Drowning, again

It wasn't cold or dark, and there weren't chains around his ankles. But this time, John Watson was being held under the water. He was underneath Sherlock, who had both hands on John's shoulders and was pushing him down.

John kicked and struggled, trying to force his flatmate to let go for even a second. He was desperate for a breath of air. John didn't get his wish.


	3. Oh happy dagger!

John Watson was standing in an abandoned room. It was uncomfortable for reasons that were difficult to articulate.

Sherlock entered, smiling. Normally John loved to see Sherlock smile, but this time he could have done without it. Sherlock drew a sword out from beside him and expertly stabbed John. Sherlock didn't even say a word.


	4. A blonde in a Supernatural episode

John Watson was in a cold space, that was large but still felt confined. Definitely a basement. Sherlock stood in front of him, taking a thick rope out of his back pocket.

John was filled with dread as he felt the coarseness of the brown rope across his neck. Sherlock didn't tie it off tightly, instead opting to pull it around until John could no longer breathe.


	5. An ending (of sorts)

The walls of the room John Watson was in were the brightest white he had ever seen. Sherlock was in front of him again, but this time with an intricately designed knife.

This time, John tried to reason with his flatmate, "Please Sherlock, don't do this to me. Please- I thought we were friends." There was no reply. Or at least, not for long. John could hear someone saying his name, but it wasn't Sherlock. It wasn't the man in front of him with the knife.

John Watson woke up to his flatmate in bed. In his bed, beside him. It was confusing.

"Sherlock, what on Earth are you doing here?" John's voice was hoarse, and higher than normal. He was still very tired.

"John, you started talking in your sleep tonight, and normally when you do that it's just incoherent mumbling, but tonight I heard what you were saying. And whatever you thought I was doing to you, whatever you thought I was going to do- I couldn't let it happen. If you want to talk about it, if you need to talk about any of this, you can, but it's obviously very private and that decision should be up to you. Let's both just take it one step at a time."

"One step at a time."


	6. One step at a time

John woke up the next morning terrified. He wasn't sure how much Sherlock knew about his nightmares, and that alone was enough to make him wish it was still the night before.

But gradually, slowly, over weeks and months, he learned to stop being afraid. John Watson found out that Sherlock knew not to press further when John said he needed time alone, and that Sherlock actually did have his best interests at heart. Later on, Sherlock found out what it was that worried John so much. It would take a long time before John wouldn't jump at the sight of his best friend with a knife, but the two of them found how to work around it.

John found himself returning to work, and being less overwhelmed than it made him felt when he was still having nightmares. Sherlock waited before asking him on a case again. The first one they did go on together was small, with no dead bodies. And, even though Sherlock wasn't always the most affectionate person, he would often hug John when he looked as if he needed it.

There were always going to be late nights where John found himself wondering if his friend still cared, or why. No matter how hard Sherlock tried to, he couldn't stop it. He did, however, make them just that bit more bearable.


End file.
